Features

The Most Expensive Things in Town,
A custom-designed diamond watch, a radio disc jockey, a limited edition Ferrari-these are some of the priciest people and indulgences in Chicago. Enjoy! Plus, an essay on the meaning of divine excess

Tremors in the Empire, by Shane Tritsch
The Pritzker family’s $15-billion fortune represents a great American success story-a rags-to-riches tale of hugely profitable deals and dedicated philanthropy. Now, beset by the collapse of a financial institution it owned, and pulled apart by diverse interests, a new generation struggles to keep the dynasty on course.

Material Girl, by Cara Jepsen
Cat Chow, a decidedly analog Chicago artist, loves chain mail and hates money, and she has made show-stopping one-of-a-kind clothing out of both. Is it sculpture or fashion?

The Case Against Daley, by Steve Rhodes
Yes, he is popular and has done lots of good for the city. But Mayor Daley has plenty of shortcomings, too. If we were running for mayor, here is how we would challenge him.

Departments

Letters

Contributors

Frontlines
She’s hard to buy for? Give her a Warhol-and other holiday gift ideas; David Adler mania; ladies’ rooms won’t want to leave; more

Style Sheet, by Stacy Wallace-Albert
Watch out-sporty and elegant new timepiece designs put their best faces forward.

Arts Beat
Art-film houses proliferate; Remy Bumppo opts for passion, not profit; Willie Pickens plays jazz at Christmas; plus, tourism by the numbers

Real Lives | Law and Order, by Marcia Froelke Coburn
As the head of one of the world’s largest law firms, Christine Lagarde oversees 64 offices in 35 countries.

Sports | On the Edge, by Joel Reese
Seventeen-year-old Bill Straus dreamed of becoming a star rock climber-until a tragic accident claimed his life.

Service | Baby Takes, by Ericka Mellon
Photographers who specialize in children have a knack for cutting to the natural. Here’s a guide to some of the pros.

Media | Uncovering the Cardinal, by Bill Clements
A Sun-Times series on Cardinal John Cody hit like a bomb in 1981. Now the son of one of the reporters examines the fallout.

Dining Out | Block Party, by Dennis Ray Wheaton
Lincoln Square Francophiles get lucky-twice. A fine pair of affordable bistros are neighbors in address and style.

Deal Estate, by Dennis Rodkin
A glass house in Northfield, a King and his Kenwood castle, high living at the Hancock, and more

Nightspotting, by Sarah Preston
Scoping the scene at hot spots Moda and Sugar; and open mic with Billy Corgan

The Closer, by Jeff Ruby
Chicago took its name from a Native American word meaning “stinky onion.” Our columnist sniffed around town-and found there’s something in the air.